Book info

• Title Hornblower and the Hotspur
• Author C. S. Forester
• Year 1962
• Genre History

April 1803, and the Peace of Amiens is failing as Horatio Hornblower takes a sloop on a vital reconnaissance mission... On the day of his marriage to Maria, Hornblower is ordered to take the Hotspur and head for Brest - war is coming and Napoleon will not catch His Majesty's navy with its britches round its ankles. With thoughts of his new life as a husband intruding on his duties, Hornblower must prove himself to be not only the most capable commander in the fleet, but also its most daring if he is to stop the French gaining the upper hand.

Thoughts

I liked this book for the extra dimension it adds to Hornblower’s already interesting life. Now he’s the captain of a ship, if not an actual Captain, with a couple of dangerous missions to do, and he excels in them all, but at the same time he’s got a home life to deal with now as well. Getting married right at the start of the book, even though he’s not sure it’s the right thing to do, Hornblower then has to deal with knowing there’s someone worrying about it at home. I liked the extra tension this brought to the open seas, and I’m keen to see what comes next for our Horry.

Rating: 4 / 5